SHILLONG: A one-day follow up workshop for ‘Training of Rural Educated Youth for Self Employment through Farm-based Activities’ (TREYSEFA) certificate holders was organised by the Department of Agriculture, on Wednesday at the Integrated Agriculture Training Centre (IATC) in Upper Shillong.
K. N. Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and Agricultural Production Commissioner, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The programme was also attended by MN Nampui, Secretary of Agriculture, R Langstieh, Director of Agriculture (R&T), B. K. Sohliya, Director of Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship (MIE), S Mihsill, Director of the Meghalaya Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute (MAMETI) and officials from the various departments along with representatives of banking and financial institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Kumar stated that the follow up workshop is very essential in order for the agriculture department to get first hand information from certificate holders and to learn from their experience so as to enable the department to assess the success and failure regarding the implementation of the scheme.
Adding that agriculture marketing plays a vital role in the development of the rural economy, Kumar stressed on the need for the convergence of schemes under the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society, Meghalaya Institute of Entrepreneurship and Directorate of Agriculture, (Research and Technology) to impart technical and business knowledge to the youth.
Kumar also advised the certificate holders to form an association to take entrepreneurship to the next level and to create more employment opportunities in the field of agriculture by taking advantage of the various schemes initiated by the government.
